Kristof Jozsa
TVWBB Fan
Sharing my dilemma.. in the last year or so, I learnt really a lot (mostly from you guys!) about smoking in my 22" kettle. I picked up a Slow N Sear basket and recently a TipTopTemp device and I had a few great success with pork butts, ribs and even brisket the last time. I haven't even thinked about getting a dedicated smoker until a few days ago when the question arose about picking up a portable one which we could maybe bring to ski tours or to the weekend house with us. It's also important to note that I mostly cook for 3-7 people and always using lump (don't ask, can't stand briqs, can't explain, but lump is what works right for me).
So recently I have read a lot on the topic and that only deepens my dilemma. The 14" WSM looks like a really cute and fun device to get but looks also limited in capacity (thinking of ribs mostly, and I remember my struggle with my 18" kettle when grilling before I switched to a 22"). The 18" WSM would probably be a really excellent kit to get and its capacity would really step up the amount I can possibly smoke compared to my kettle, but I'm sure I wouldn't want to take the 18-er anywhere with me. The cheapest option certainly would be staying with my current kettle setup for smoking, which kind of works and have no capacity problems with it.
For those having experience with smoking in a kettle (maybe with a Slow N Sear basket), how does a WSM compare? Smoking in my kettle I rarely have more than 1-2 hours of unattended cooking during the day, temperature fluctuates, water runs out, have to refill or reorganize lump, etc. - it really feels like a full day of work (though a fun one), and can't even think of overnight smoking. I assume the WSM has a more clean flight.. but having no personal experience I can't really judge this myself. How much less work is smoking with a WSM? Is it worth switching?
What do you think? Should I stay as is and spend more on meat than dilemmas? Should I pick that baby WSM which is so tempting and which I could also move with me? Or would you choose the great and proven 18-er which can do everything just fine and give up on portability?
So recently I have read a lot on the topic and that only deepens my dilemma. The 14" WSM looks like a really cute and fun device to get but looks also limited in capacity (thinking of ribs mostly, and I remember my struggle with my 18" kettle when grilling before I switched to a 22"). The 18" WSM would probably be a really excellent kit to get and its capacity would really step up the amount I can possibly smoke compared to my kettle, but I'm sure I wouldn't want to take the 18-er anywhere with me. The cheapest option certainly would be staying with my current kettle setup for smoking, which kind of works and have no capacity problems with it.
For those having experience with smoking in a kettle (maybe with a Slow N Sear basket), how does a WSM compare? Smoking in my kettle I rarely have more than 1-2 hours of unattended cooking during the day, temperature fluctuates, water runs out, have to refill or reorganize lump, etc. - it really feels like a full day of work (though a fun one), and can't even think of overnight smoking. I assume the WSM has a more clean flight.. but having no personal experience I can't really judge this myself. How much less work is smoking with a WSM? Is it worth switching?
What do you think? Should I stay as is and spend more on meat than dilemmas? Should I pick that baby WSM which is so tempting and which I could also move with me? Or would you choose the great and proven 18-er which can do everything just fine and give up on portability?